Bonds

Chapter 73

-Alex’s POV-

We stood there, a tableau of shock and simmering tension. Her eyes, wide and glassy, seemed to stare right through me, threatening to shatter into a million pieces.

I wasn’t supposed to be here. I hated everything about a park. It reminded me of what I never had as a child. Yet, here I was because even though I had tried to fight it, my wolf would always be at attuned to her.

Everything had been going smoothly at the office. Ivan’s books checked out clean, the contract was signed, solidifying my ownership of a perfect 45% stake. No meetings lined up, just a day to unwind. Well, unwind wouldn’t exactly describe the tense atmosphere with Miranda at home. Not in the mood for another argument, I’d opted for a drive with my driver. Then, passing the park, a low growl rumbled through my wolf. Unease prickled my skin.

So I went for a drive. It wasn’t like I was following anyone, but my wolf seemed agitated when we passed the park. I instructed my driver to turn around, and that’s when I saw it – a flash of bright red hair through the trees. My feet moved before my mind could catch up, and before! knew it, I was almost by her side. A car sped off, leaving her alone in the middle of the field.

The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating and we continued to stand there, rapped in an unspoken language of stares. Finally, I broke the eye contact, the raw urge from my wolf threatening to spill over. I had to before I did something stupid like kiss her again and with that thought, my gaze fell to her lips.

She just continued staring at me then after a while, turned around to leave without a single word.

“Amaya,” I blurted out before she could disappear. Her shoulders tensed at the sound of her name, but she didn’t stop walking. Frustration bubbled up. “Amaya, stop walking,” I repeated, my voice firmer this time.

It was pointless to fight it. I unleashed a sliver of my alpha aura, a subtle pressure that demanded her attention. She whirled around, her eyes blazing with a fire I remembered all too well. “What do you want from me, Alex? Are you following me?!”

“Following you?” I scoffed, mirroring her irritated tone.

you should be here.”

“You hate parks so I don’t see any other reason yo

“I still hate parks.”

voice laced with disbelief. “Maybe

yeah, huge changes,” I said dripping

her voice tight. “This is

files from my drawer?” My question hung heavy in the air, a bomb

widening with a flicker of fear. I could get you arrested,” I continued, watching her struggle to regain her

breath, trying to project strength. “Then get on with it,” she

again, thicker and heavier than before. Neither of us spoke, just stared at each other, locked in a battle of

10:26

Sat, 22

Chapter 73

90%

couldn’t

nothing to say about the pictures?” I asked, breaking the tense

burned brighter, the anger barely contained. “The pictures? What do you want me to say, Alex? That you’re a

I was furious. “Coward? You

Just f*cking shut up. How dare you? You know I always wondered why? Just why? You came home and threw divorce papers in my face then kicked me out.

threatening to spill. For a moment, her anger faltered, replaced by a vulnerability

quickly as it appeared, the vulnerability vanished. She stepped back, wiping

you.”

she turned and started walking away again. This time, I couldn’t let her go. In a heartbeat, I

skin as she

didn’t even try to understand. All those years, all the trust we built gone. Just like that.” Her hand chopped through the air, mimicking a falling object. “You threw the divorce papers at me, kicked

Real.”

The moment the photos landed on my desk with a note, I didn’t want to believe it. I had spent days, nights even, poring over those pictures. Every detail, every grain of the

a harsh, brittle sound. “Real? You think I would do that, Alex? After everything? You know how hard it was